Consumers of canned beverages, alcoholic and nonalcoholic, prefer the beverage cooled. Preferably, the beverage is cooled to about 45.degree. F. for optimum enjoyment. Cooling of the canned beverage requires either refrigerating or icing. In either case, a large apparatus (refrigerator) or a large cold mass (ice) is required to sufficiently cool the beverage. Thus, prior art methods of cooling are not always portable. Additionally, these prior art methods of cooling are not always quick. Yet, a consumer who is hot and thirsty desires instant relief from heat and thirst. Such relief may come from a quickly cooled beverage in a can.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,452,555 is directed to a portable ice cream freezer. The freezer comprises an evaporator which telescopically embraces an ice cream container. The evaporator is operatively connected, in series, to a compressor, a condenser, and a restricted duct. A fan is operatively associated with the condenser. The evaporator, in a first embodiment, is a longitudinally split, double-walled closed cavity, cylindrical sleeve. In a second embodiment, the evaporator is a coil of tubing which surrounds the side and bottom walls of the container. The tubing is isolated from the container by a shell and a bottom wall. Each ring of the coil has a space therebetween. The coil is encased in an insulating material, such as styrofoam.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,553,976 discloses a container refrigerator. The refrigerator comprises a compressed refrigerant and a chamber for storing and/or expanding the compressed refrigerant. The refrigerator is disposable because the refrigerant is allowed to escape into the atmosphere. In a first embodiment of the invention, the refrigerant is stored and expands in the chamber. (FIGS. 1-4). In a second embodiment (FIG. 6), the expansion chamber comprises a first spiral coil having rings which have a rectangular cross-section. The compressed refrigerant is stored in a second spiral coil which overlays the first coil.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,054,034 is directed to a portable apparatus for cooling beverage containers. The apparatus comprises an evaporator, a flow restriction valve, and a source of compressed refrigerant. The evaporated refrigerant is vented to the atmosphere. The source of compressed refrigerant is disposable and interchangable. The evaporator, FIG. 4, comprises a longitudinally split cylindrical sleeve having a plurality of circumferential channels formed therein. The channels are defined by a smooth inner wall and an outer wall having the channels formed therein.